Experience has taught veteran Queensland skipper Darren Lockyer to savour the Maroons' State of Origin success - but not get used to it.

Queensland teammates greeted themselves with back slaps and broad grins when they entered camp in Brisbane aiming for a rare whitewash in Origin III at Suncorp Stadium next Wednesday.

As pleased as he was with the Maroons' newfound strength, Lockyer issued a sobering warning amid the frivolity - it could all go pear-shaped again soon.

"In Origin, it doesn't take much for the balance to swing. Over the years the games have always been close," he said.

"Things could so easily turn around against us if you are not careful - you have to work extremely hard to stay on top."

The last time Lockyer was involved in a whitewash he was on the wrong end of the scoreboard.

Lockyer, Steve Price and Tonie Carroll are the only current Maroons who endured NSW's last 3-0 triumph way back in 2000, capped by a 56-16 flogging, no less.

But Queensland have to look further back to 1995 to find their last clean sweep.

After losing three straight series, Queensland have bounced back to seal successive series of their own thanks to their hoodoo-breaking 10-6 Origin II victory at Sydney's Telstra Stadium on June 13.

Despite playing Origin since 1998, Lockyer has never been involved in such Maroons dominance.

No wonder he looked slightly stunned when contemplating only Queensland's fourth Origin whitewash over the Blues.

"I have never been in a position where we have been 2-0 up with a game to go," he said.

"It's probably the best opportunity Queensland is going to get for a whitewash, being in front of a home crowd and up 2-0.

"I don't want to let it slip by.

"Some of the heroes of Origin in the late 80s - your Meningas and Lewises - they will be remembered forever and these guys if they can do the same they will be heroes for kids in future years."

With so much pride on the line for both sides, Lockyer was having nothing of talk about a "dead runner" next Wednesday.

"They (NSW) have stuck predominantly with the guys from the first couple of games - you'd have to think those players would be hurting after the criticism they copped after game two," he said.

"They will want to prove a point."

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